In short: You’ll either be captivated by the sheer audacity of O’Dessa (now available on Hulu) or find yourself switching to something else within the first ten minutes. Geremy Jasper’s highly anticipated follow-up to his 2017 film Patti Cake$ blends musical elements with fable-like storytelling and post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller aspects, clearly a deeply personal project. The central question is whether this passion resonates with viewers.
O’DESSA: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
Synopsis: An opening narration reveals a world ravaged by “poison,” with most survivors residing in Satylite City. This metropolis is governed by the flamboyant Plutonovich (Murray Bartlett), a leader reminiscent of a blend of Max Headroom, Donald Trump, Zod, and Stanley Tucci’s character from The Hunger Games. However, O’Dessa (Sadie Sink, of Stranger Things fame) lives outside this city with her unwell mother (Bree Elrod). O’Dessa sings to a scarecrow representing her deceased father (Pokey LaFarge), a traveling musician who aimed to “comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” She inherited her singing and guitar skills from him, along with a prophecy that she, as the seventh son, is destined to save the world through song. Her father’s guitar, sent back after his death in a coffin, is buried in their yard, as her mother feared O’Dessa would leave like him. But when her mother develops a fatal cough, O’Dessa buries her, adopts a pompadour hairstyle, unearths the guitar, and sets out on her journey.
Destiny calls O’Dessa to Satylite City, but her journey is detoured when a group of amiable, singing vagrants, led by a preacher, pilfer her cherished instrument. This leaves us pondering if she can fulfill her destiny playing air guitar. Unlikely. Thus begins her quest to retrieve it, which proves surprisingly brief. Satylite City is vast, yet, conveniently, the guitar appears in a local pawn shop. Lacking funds or the charm to persuade the stern proprietor, who is engrossed in Plutonovich’s broadcasts, like many others, O’Dessa improvises. She assembles a makeshift guitar from discarded items and heads to a club, hoping to perform for tips.
But the audience is unreceptive, booing her offstage. They are, however, enthusiastic about Euri Dervish (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), who captivates with his dramatic stage presence and powerful voice. We discover Euri is exploited by Neon Dion (Regina Hall), a menacing figure in S&M-inspired leather and electrified brass knuckles, sporting stark bangs and shaved eyebrows, creating a vast expanse above her eyes. She profits from Euri’s performances. However, Euri and O’Dessa develop feelings for each other, leading to a temporary lapse in focus on the guitar quest. The question lingers: what about the guitar? Someone might purchase it. Should she consider layaway or theft? Practicalities often fade when romance blossoms. Yet, O’Dessa must refocus if she intends to confront Plutonovich at his ominous Onederland and realize her prophetic destiny with her guitar.
Comparable Films
Jasper’s visual style evokes a blend of The Hunger Games and Blade Runner, saturated with neon and featuring nonbinary character presentations, reminiscent of the compelling I Saw the TV Glow.
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Standout Performance
While Sink and Harrison appear somewhat unsupported by the thin narrative, Regina Hall, in her eccentric attire, delivers the most memorable performance among the underdeveloped characters.
Memorable Line
Hall menacingly hisses at O’Dessa: “If I ever catch you near my piggybank again, I will shuck open your guts and yank the pearl from your rotten greezy little oyster.”
Sex and Sensuality
Only postcoital cuddling is depicted.
Our Verdict
This film merits a swift departure. To elaborate, O’Dessa did not resonate with this reviewer, despite recognizing Jasper’s ambition. He overwhelms each scene with excessive detail but insufficiently developed an original story with depth and subtlety. The characters lack substance and the exploration of their bizarre world feels superficial, failing to pique audience curiosity. Tonally, it lacks humor despite its outlandish visuals and fails to embrace sincerity; it’s simply uninspired. The result is a shallow parable assembled from disparate concepts and influences on a fragile narrative base.
Thus, the film is a peculiar mix of visual ambition and overused dystopian chosen-one tropes. The songs, while pleasant – Sink possesses an appealing voice – are forgettable and feature lackluster choreography, possibly due to budget constraints. Thematically, numerous promising elements remain undeveloped. Despite his extravagant reality show, a fusion of American Idol and The PTL Club, Plutonovich is merely a generic, boorish figure. The screenplay neglects to explore the potential madman-leader/cult-of-personality themes that could draw parallels to contemporary figures. O’Dessa attempts much yet ultimately feels inconsequential and hollow on multiple levels. It may gain traction as a cult film in the long run, but personally, it failed to engage. It evokes both admiration and derision equally.
Final Recommendation
The verdict is straightforward: Style over substance prevails. SKIP IT.
John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.